Offshore Wind Lease Buyouts and Stop-Work Orders Under the Trump Administration

During his second term, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to freeze all offshore wind-energy leases and permits, followed by multiple stop-work orders on projects under construction. The Department of the Interior subsequently paid more than $2.6 billion to buy out existing leases, effectively canceling several offshore wind developments.

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Trump has long opposed wind farms, citing national-security, wildlife, and health concerns. The recent policy shifts from regulatory blockage to outright financial buyouts of lease agreements.

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In August 2025 a stop-work order halted the Revolution Wind project, prompting a September injunction. A second 90-day order in December 2025 was blocked by a January 2026 injunction. By March 2026 Revolution Wind began delivering power, reporting over 1,000 union workers and 90 % construction completion. In June 2026 the Interior Department completed four lease-buyout deals totaling $2.6 billion, including $765 million to Invenergy and nearly $900 million to Bluepoint Wind and Garden State Wind.

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• $2.6 billion total lease buyouts; $765 million to Invenergy; ~$900 million to Bluepoint Wind and Garden State Wind.

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• Over 1,000 union workers on Revolution Wind; project expected to power >350,000 homes; construction >90 % complete.

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Furnace electrician Thomas Kilday (IBEW Local 99) was on a 28-day offshore shift for Revolution Wind when the August stop-work order arrived, leaving him uncertain about pay and family plans. Construction laborer Will Gonzalez (Laborers Local 385) said trained crew members on Vineyard Wind 1 were left without immediate assignments after the project’s halt, forcing them to seek other work.

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Pat Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, called the buyout policy “foolish,” arguing it discards carbon-reduction benefits and union jobs. Gonzalez described the administration’s actions as a “personal vendetta” tied to Trump’s own opposition to a turbine near his Scottish golf course.

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A Department of the Interior spokesperson said the cancellations did not eliminate jobs because the leases were not yet operational, and that the administration is prioritizing existing infrastructure and supply chains to create jobs more quickly.

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Union leaders argue stop-work orders jeopardized wages and future assignments, while the Interior spokesperson maintains no jobs were lost; independent employment data are not provided.

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• “No one really knew what was going on. We didn’t know what it meant for us. We just knew that everything was up in the air,” — Thomas Kilday, IBEW Local 99

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• “I think it’s a foolish policy that the Trump administration is engaging in trying to buy out these leases,” — Pat Crowley, Rhode Island AFL-CIO

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• “It’s a personal vendetta,” — Will Gonzalez, Laborers Local 385

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• “No jobs were eliminated because none of these leases were operational or supporting employment,” — Department of the Interior spokesperson

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Unions continue to seek injunctions against further stop-work orders, while the Interior Department signals a willingness to buy out additional leases, indicating that future offshore wind projects may face similar financial termination.

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